Beast of Burden
by Tenacity
Summary: For Horizon Tyler life can't get much worse. When she reaches her breaking point, can a stranger that she is automatically drawn to bring her hope? Author's note: I want to thank Dementia for helping me name this story!
1. Prologue

I only own Horizon...nothing more!  
  
Author's Note: I know I already posted this... but I am an idiot an deleted, so it is up again.  
  
  
  
Horizon Tyler laid in her bed, one bitter and dreary November night, reviewing her life. She'd had a wonderful childhood filled with friends, laughter, and...love. It seemed as though it would never end. That all changed. As the years trudged on her mother and father grew farther and farther apart, until it finally settled in divorce. Now as she reflects on her life as it is at this very moment, she realizes her ideal world had shattered right in front of her very eyes and she never detected it.  
  
  
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"What did I do wrong?" he questioned himself as he lie there reevaluating his intense blunder. It was totally out of the blue, a sudden impact, one wrong move that ruined his life. What was he gonna do now? His life's dream had been snatched from him, smashed and tossed into the air for the costal winds to carry off. 


	2. Chapter One

I remember the first time I met him. It wasn't planned, pure coincidence. That morning had been so hectic. It seemed as though it would never end. Like the rest of my life, it was going in circles. My mother and I had been arguing on and off all morning. I finally gave up on trying to make amends with her and went to the store. I had noticed we were out of everything... and if we planned on eating again it would be left up to me.  
  
  
So there I was in the middle of this madness, some people call a grocery store. Being that Cameron was such a small town we only had one decent grocery store and it was always bustling with people. As I tried to maneuver my unruly cart around a corner, where two children had decided to stop and play, when I accidentally bumped into someone's buggy.   
  
  
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Who knew a little trip to the Supermarket would change my life. I had tried to make breakfast that morning and much to my surprise the fridge was bare. I now had the time to notice simple details of that nature. It was like everywhere I went now; I picked up something new. Whether it was a small flower in someone's freshly cut lawn or the fact that I hadn't realized that Cameron had grown into an actual town since the last time I had really taken a look around. But anyway... back to the subject.  
  
  
I was casually shopping around, when all of a sudden my basket jerked. When I looked up to see what had caused this, I caught a glimpse of her. She was beautiful, not to mention she had a wicked figure. But that wasn't what had peaked my interest. Her eyes... they weren't normal, but in a good way. They were addictive; all I could do was stare. The perfect mixture of blue and violet, they held this swirling effect, like draining water. When I thought I was about to get lost, she broke the silence.  
  
  
"Hi, I am Horizon Tyler."  
  
  
  
A/N: Okay... I'll post more after at least three reviews; they don't even have to be good ones. Later! 


	3. Chapter Two

"Horizon, what an unusual name." I thought to myself. When I heard her clear her throat I realized I had better say something.  
  
  
"Jeff Hardy." I said sticking out my right hand. She responded by taking my hand and saying it was nice to meet me, but then she was gone. I was left standing there with a picture of her eyes etched in my mind and feel of her hand on mine.  
  
  
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As I walked away, I remember thinking over and over again...GO BACK!...GO BACK! Make some excuse to run into him again. But did I? No...I had to be my normal stubborn self. I went about my shopping, thankful when I finally got out of that insane mess. As I am placing my many bags in the trunk I didn't notice my basket roll away and right into a beautiful black corvette, until I heard a loud annoying alarm sound.  
  
  
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I was carrying my sacks out to my car when I heard one of those eardrum busting car alarms go off. I never really pay much attention to those and I didn't mind this one until I noticed it was mine and who had set it off. As I walked up to her, I thought about what I was gonna say over and over again. I had the perfect line ready. Though, what came out was exactly the opposite.  
  
  
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"What happened here?" A voice from behind asked.  
  
  
I turned around slowly expecting to see a furious businessman for some reason beyond me. When I saw whom it really was relief washed over me and a wave of emotion engulfed my body. This was my chance.  
  
  
"I am so sorry. I didn't see it roll away. I'll pay for everything." I rambled on. I calmed down instantly when his blank expression turned into a soft smile. A smile that warmed my heart. For some reason I couldn't turn away. 


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter 3  
  
  
  
We talked for a good thirty minutes. A simple but interesting conversation. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the peculiar glances and strange stares we were receiving, but I didn't give it a second thought. I was enjoying myself and he was easy to talk to.  
  
  
When I realized what time it was I had to force myself to say good-bye. He was unlike anyone I knew. He was caring and sweet. We sorted out the car incident, agreeing that he would call me with the details. So with quick "See ya later." and handshake. I was on my way home.  
  
  
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I was reluctant to let go of her hand and something told me she didn't want to leave either, but it was getting late.  
  
  
As she drove away it dawned on me... she forgot to leave her number. I made my way to my car, glancing in the direction of the small almost unnoticeable scratch, not really caring about it. The only thing I really cared about was the fact that I might never see Horizon again.  
  
  
I looked up one more time, hoping that she too realized she didn't leave a number and was returning to give it to me. Not seeing anything I sat my bags in my passenger seat and drove off.  
  
  
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As I drove along I picked up on my stupidity, but I was already half way to my house. And didn't think he would still be there anyway. Deep down inside I figured he wouldn't have called if he had my number.  
  
  
I put all of that aside when I pulled into the driveway. I knew it would need all my energy for this next step. I didn't get out at first, preparing myself for what lied ahead and simply soaking in the quietness that I knew would be stripped away as soon as I walked through the door. 


	5. Chapter Four

I made my way up the steps juggling the groceries in one hand and my house keys in the other. Entering the house, I headed in the direction of the kitchen, focusing my mind to drown out the racket in the background. As I scurried around the small room going from cabinet to cabinet, I didn't notice my mother walk in.  
  
  
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After putting away all my purchased items I collapsed on the couch. I was getting used to this, though in the back of my mind I knew I shouldn't. For the past few years I had been fulfilling my dreams. I was a professional wrestler, hell; I was a World Wrestling Federation Superstar. It had been non-stop. One town after another, one arena to the next. But the last couple of weeks had been calm and quite serene, now all I had to do was accept that my much-needed vacation was coming to an end. As a matter a fact... I was leaving tomorrow for Denver. When that thought suck in, I realized I needed to get out of here. Take one last walk around Cameron. The weatherman had predicted rain, but they are never accurate and truthfully I didn't care. I enjoyed the rain.  
  
  
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"Well it's about time you got back."  
  
  
Her angry voice pulled me from my quiet reverie and my head shot up in surprise. I decided to ignore her comment and place the last can of soup in the cupboard. I shut the cabinet doors and began to make my way to my bedroom with my mom closely following, steadily spitting out commands and her usual put downs. I was used to this. It had been an everyday occurrence for about ten years now. My father's leaving took its toll on my mother. I was twelve at the time and this is how it has been since.  
  
  
I was mere inches away from shutting my door when she got her foot between it and the frame. I was tired of this, I would usually fight back but I was sick of that too. All of a sudden something snapped. I am not sure if it was in my heart or my head, but something definitely hit me. I didn't have to take this; I wasn't going to take this. Without even a glare in my mother's direction, I pushed her out of the way and took off. 


	6. Chapter Five

Sure enough, as soon as I reached the park I heard a distant rumbling and a light mist fell from the sky. I simply bowed my head and kept walking. Pictures of Horizon were still floating through my mind. I don't know what it was about her, but she got to me.  
  
  
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I had been running non-stop for twenty minutes. My legs were aching, I was breathing hard, and I was soaked from head to toe, but I didn't care. My destination was still unknown. My only thought was to get away from there and never return. I stopped to catch my breath and take a look at my surroundings. What I found was an empty park, due to the sudden downpour. Walking over to a bench, I lay down and closed my eyes. Filtering through my head was a song that I had come to relate to.  
  
  
Hideaway, take me now  
I cannot face another round  
And I'm flipping through the pages  
For a name to take my place  
Close my eyes, wish that I could find a space  
To hideaway  
Troubled days cloud my eyes  
Stole the sun from my skies  
And in this darkness I am tossing, turning  
Lying wide awake  
Hold my breath, wish that I could find a place  
To hideaway  
Hideaway, take me now  
I cannot face another round  
  
  
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Before I knew it, darkness had overtaken the day. I squinted to read my watch under a lit park light. It was late but I wasn't read to go just yet. I trudged over to a nearby bench. With it being dark and all, I didn't notice my seat was already occupied.   
  
  
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The rain had come to an end, for now. It was a little cool, but I was enjoying the silence. I felt pressure being placed on my legs. Not knowing what it was my natural instinct told me to scream. So I did. The weight was removed and another scream echoed through the night. I jumped up in defense, ready to face whatever this creature was. A flash of lightening illuminated the sky, and his face.  
  
  
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It was her. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe, I could barely see. After a short mental war with myself I came to one conclusion.... I couldn't let her get away this time.  
  
  
I quickly started to apologize for sitting on her. She was very understanding and the longer we talked, the farther we slipped into our own little universe again.  
  
  
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It was happening again. I was pouring my heart out to a stranger. But he didn't seem to mind. For some reason the events from earlier escaped and he listened to me cry, rant, and even scream.  
  
  
It started to rain again, and for the first time in the last hour I was scared. Being there with him made me feel safe, but realizing he was going to have to leave soon frightened me to death. I had no where to go. Nothing left to do. As he started to walk away, fresh tears found their way down my cheeks. I was weighing my options when his voice broke into my thoughts.  
  
  
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"You need a place to stay?" I asked with the shyness and nervousness of a fourteen year-old boy. I couldn't believe I just did that. She is going to think I am crazy. I watched her processing it in her mind, praying she didn't think I was too forward. When she shook her head yes, ease engulfed my body. I took her hand, and we walked slowly back to my house. 


	7. Chapter Six

I stood nervously as Jeff fidgeted with lock. As I walked through the door a feeling of security enveloped me. I glanced around curiously, taking in the mid-sized house Jeff referred to as home. It appeared casual. The artificial plants gave it a sense of comfort and the statues of wild animals scattered around presented it with a wacky vibe. A slight jingle caught my attention. I turned just in time to see a big furry thing pounce.   
  
  
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I watched as, my dog Liger, caused a startled Horizon to topple over. I quickly went into action, hoping my over anxious mutt hadn't injured or scared the poor girl to death. I pulled Liger off by the collar and turned back to Horizon, surprised when I saw that she was laughing.  
  
  
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I laughed after catching my breath. I loved dogs and this one was especially cute.  
  
  
Taking Jeff's extended hand, I pulled myself up. He started to apologize for his dog's behavior, but I didn't mind. We played around with Liger for awhile longer and then headed for a tour of the house. We returned to the kitchen and chatted about nonsense while he prepared our drinks. Walking into the living room, we sat on one of the sofas and just relaxed.  
  
  
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She seemed to be easing up a bit, slowly letting her guard down. We surfed through the TV channels but as usual nothing was on. You could have four hundred channels and still have nothing to watch. Deciding it was a lost cause I flipped off the television and tossed the remote. I shifted so I was slightly facing Horizon and just stared. She probably thought I was crazy, but I couldn't help myself.  
  
  
I still couldn't figure out what it was about this girl. She was a complete stranger but I somehow felt connected to her. I nearly melted when she turned and gave me a small smile.  
  
  
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I wasn't sure why he was staring at me, but it really didn't bother me anyway. Usually people's wondering eyes would disturb me but his stare was different. He wasn't looking at me like a piece of meat and he didn't appear to be searching for anything. It was just a content stare. I turned to him and smiled.  
  
  
After a few more minutes of just comfortable stillness, I broke the silence.   
  
  
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Her voice pulled me back to Earth. Somehow I had drifted away. I don't know where I went, but I sure did enjoy it.  
  
We talked for hours. As I listened to her soft voice I felt myself falling farther and farther. We came to a standstill and it was then that I ruined everything.  
  
  
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He slowly leaned forward. I wasn't completely sure of what was happening, but deep down I wanted this. His smooth lips gently massaged mine. I couldn't think straight ,all I felt was him and truthfully all I wanted was him. As the kiss lingered on the rational women in my head made herself known. I didn't want to face reality, but the truth remained... this was wrong.  
  
  
I broke the kiss, stood up, and for the second time that day I found myself running with no confirmed destination. 


	8. Epilogue

Horizon carefully rolled over to the other side of the bed. This had become a nightly ritual. Laying down on her cold, hard bed, reliving her past mistakes, and quietly crying herself to sleep. She had everything she ever wanted, ever needed in front of her and she tore it apart. She had returned to her own personal living hell and that was something she was going to have to live with it.  
  
  
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He still questioned himself night after night. As hard as he tried, he couldn't find the strength to move on and forget her. It had been months. He still wasn't quite sure why she ran, but she had and he hadn't seen her since. He rolled over, hugging an extra pillow tightly to himself, closing his eyes and falling into another restless slumber. 


End file.
